


Semper Fidelis

by Pfain Ryder (Cat_Moon)



Category: Quantum Leap
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-27 20:57:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19797637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Pfain%20Ryder
Summary: When the military is pressuring Al to retire, Sam must take drastic measures.Semper fidelis: always faithful.





	Semper Fidelis

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine “Quantum Instability #2: Sunset Scrutiny. Writers would be given several lines for the beginning of a story, and we would all write out stories using the same beginning. It was interesting to see all the widely different ideas that came from the exercise. I wrote 2 stories for QI2, so this will have the same first 5 lines as the other.

_Sam stared out over the mountains, watching the setting sun sink lower in the sky. He could see Al's scrutiny out of the corner of his eye. He coughed once, uncomfortably, sighed and went back to his study of the scenery._

_"What's bugging you?" Al finally asked quietly._

_The question was expected..._

"Nothing," Sam said finally, knowing his astute friend probably wouldn't buy that, but hoping he wouldn't push the issue. "Just the usual."

Al reached out a hand, laying it on his shoulder. "As in, funding cut scares, retrieval program worries, Ziggy problems?"

"I'm just under a lot of stress, Al," he said irritably. "Who wouldn't be, in my shoes?"

"Someone who didn't push themselves so hard?" Al suggested, his hand rubbing the tense shoulder. "Take it easy, it'll be all right. I promised, didn't I?"

Sam rubbed his burning eyes, unable to look at Al. He had to be told soon, but Sam couldn't bring himself to utter the bleak words. Al had been there for him through everything, helped get the Project off the ground...the least he could do was find a way to help Al, now.

"I'm sorry, I just...need some time alone. Besides, don't you have that banquet to attend?"

Al regarded him through narrowed eyes a moment, then seemed to accept the lies. "If you need me to stay..."

"I'll be fine," Sam assured him tiredly, patting him on the arm. "You go ahead. We'll talk when you get back, I'll be in my office."

"We _will_ talk," Al agreed firmly, turning for the door. "I won't be too late."

Sam nodded absently, his eyes on the last vestiges of the dying sun in front of him. "See you later."

XXX

_It isn't fair,_ Sam thought to himself. He was back down in the underground part of the complex, in his office. A long-gone-cold cup of coffee sat in front of him on the desk. His eyes rested on the photograph there, a shot of him and Al in the midst of celebrating the ground-breaking of Project Quantum Leap. Al looked so happy in the picture. His face was lit up in excitement and full of life, the sorrow lines he used to have vanished as if they never were. For the first in a long time, he had a purpose again, a reason to attack life with gusto. _Happy._

And now it was going to all be taken away from him.

The Navy wanted--no, _insisted_ \--that Admiral Calavicci retire. The military had different criteria for retirement than civilian employment, and he had already bucked the odds by hanging on way past the maximum amount of years. It didn't matter that the Navy was Al's life, or that he was in better physical shape than men ten years younger; it was time. Time for him to step aside, so that some other officer could be promoted to that spot as Admiral.

As if that wasn't bad enough...

The fact that Al was also a scientist wouldn't ease the sting, because the military had another damned unfair rule. Once Al had taken his mandatory retirement, he would be banned from working on any government projects for a period of two years.

Banned from Project Quantum Leap.

Al had been so certain that because of their Project, his 'stay of execution' would be granted again. That being in the middle of it would buy him more time. But it hadn't. They'd called this morning, informing Sam of their decision. Allowing him the dubious honor of giving Al the news himself. It had been his idea though, he couldn't bear the thought of Al hearing it from some impersonal bureaucrat. Now, as a loving friend, he had to find a way to tell Al that he was no longer wanted. Over the hill, past his prime.

_Bullshit._

Sam needed him, even if the Navy didn't. PQL needed him. They refused to understand that, why it was so important. He'd argued, pleaded, demanded...nothing worked.

Sam knew now, staring at the picture, that he had to find a way to keep Al on the Project. For all their sakes.

As if he didn't have enough problems to face. With or without Al, their funding was in danger. The government wasn't satisfied with the speed of progress, they wanted results...now.

With or...without...

A slow grin started to spread over Sam's face, as a plan took form. If he didn't prove his theories in a hurry, they'd pull the plug on the Project. If he could prove the Accelerator worked, by leaping back in time... And if he was back there, Al--and only Al--would be able to contact him, via the brain-wave connection through Ziggy. It was possible that a temporary and weak neural link with someone else could be set up...but the government didn't know that. And Al would never tell them.

It just might work.

No, it _would_ work. The Project would be a success, funding would be guaranteed, and Al wouldn't be banished into retirement and kicked off the Project. Once Sam leaped, Al would be as indispensable to them as he'd always been to Sam. They'd have no choice.

Sam got up to head for Control, to see if Ziggy agreed with him about the odds of success at saving Al's career. And, if all went well, to set up the acceleration sequence...

And leap.

**THE BEGINNING**

3/15/94

**Author's Note:**

> Semper fidelis: always faithful -- motto of the U.S. Marine Corps.


End file.
